Naomi's POV:
"So, how was this place you call 'schoool'!" The ghost appeared in my face as soon as I got home from the library with a smile on his face.
"You should know what a school is," I told him, walking through him, sending a shiver down my body as I put my bag down on the couch. "You were alive at some point. You would've gone to school then."
I turned to face him, noting how he just floated in place.
My eyebrows narrowed as he lowered his arms from his chest and turned to me. What I could tell was he had an unsure expression on his face; his brows knitted together as if confused on how to feel. "You didn't .... have to walk through me. You could've just asked me to move...."
I let out an annoyed sigh. "That would've taken too much time...."
"But still .... it...." He bit his bottom lip, trying to find words of what to say to me. However he turned his head away; fringe covering his eyes.
He just fell silent.
It was odd.
Considering the past day he's been here he's been quite a chaotic character to have around.
Then again I wouldn't know much about chaotic personalities considering I'm never around anyone.
"Hey, someone at my school wants to meet you." He didn't look at me. "He can see ghosts too apparently."
"REALLY!" He turned back to face me; eyes sparkling with glee and hope.
That was a quick change in behavior....
I guess hearing this news made him slightly hopeful.
I mean, I'm hopeful that with Liam's help I'll be rid of this ghost.
But the ghost has never found anyone that could see him previously, so suddenly finding two people that could see spirits all of a sudden must be getting his hopes high.
But, there's something wrong here....
I know I still don't fully trust Liam, but this is just strange....
Liam can see spirits.
He goes to my school.
He also is haunted.
And he seems to know more than he lets on.
This can't be a coincidence....
"So, are you telling me for a reason?" The ghost asked me, tilting his head to the side.
His question allowed me to come out of my thoughts, turning my attention back to him and nodding. "Yea. The guy at my school wanted me to bring you with me, so he could 'observe' you."
"'Observe' me?"
"I think he wants to know if you're connected to a Serial Murder case from the 90s. So, seeing you might help him narrow down if you are. He seems to know about this case." My eyes narrowed. "And has information he doesn't feel like sharing."
"Well, maybe something happened to him?"
"That doesn't explain how he knows about the Serial Murder Case...."
He let out a laugh, "Maybe he knew the killer!"
I gave him a blank stare, lifting a brow at his immaturity. "Don't be stupid. That kind of coincidence only happens in novels."
He still let out another laugh at his joke as I rolled my eyes, going over to my bag to do the research Liam and I had gone through at the library.
However what the ghost said went through my mind as I grabbed the books from my bags.
What if it was true?
What if he new the killer?
What if he was protecting them?
Nah, there's no way that'd be possible.
This is real life not some mystery novel.
It was the next day and I went to school with the ghost as I had told Liam yesterday. He was like a damn chatterbox. He wouldn't shut up.
"What's this school like?" "What do you do there?" "Is it fun?"
It was getting on my nerves.
I was starting to regret this decision. "If you don't be quiet I'll call an exorcist..." I growled out.
He shut his mouth almost instantly; dark eyes staring at me as we made our way through the school gate.
I have to make sure not to draw any attention to myself.
People will think I'm crazy if I talk to him.
"What's an 'exorcist'?"
I almost tripped over the footpath at his question, stumbling and gaining some eyes on me. I whirled around to face him with a glare on my face.
He innocently stared back at me.
He can't be serious....?
He blinked owlishly at me and I groaned.
He really doesn't....
Just how much of his memory did he lose when he died.
There's no way a ghost can't know what an exorcist is.
Wouldn't they have an innate fear of them?
Or is that or in movies?
I mean he knew about CRT TVs, so why not some of the horror films from the eighties?
I guess he wasn't a horror fanatic and that's why he doesn't know?
Maybe....
I shook my head and continued to make my way down the undercover hall towards the library. I don't know where Liam hangs out before school starts, but allowing him to see the ghost now than later would be a bit more helpful. It might help him figure something out.
That is if he actually tells me anything....
As I came to the front of the library I noticed that he was sitting at one of the wooden seats outside the library, looking through his phone.
His shadow was under the seat; cold eyes glaring up at Liam as if about it engulf him in darkness.
That sounded dark....
I headed over to him when a shiver went down my back and turned to face the ghost, narrowing my eyes at it. "What?"
He fidgeted; eyes looking to me before looking over to where Liam was. "We're not going over there, are we?"
I nodded at him. "He's the one that can see spirits I told you about."
When I said this it seemed to cause the ghost to get in my face. "But...." He bit his lip, trying to think of what to say; eyes going back over to Liam. "....I don't like what I'm sensing from him. It feels .... evil...."
I gave him a small shrug. "You and me both, but he's the only one at my school that actually knows something about spirits. I don't fully trust him either."
"W....What about what I said yesterday....?"
I stared back blankly at him and sighed. He was just joking yesterday, but finally seeing Liam I can understand why the ghost feels unsure. "I highly doubt it. Now stop worrying. If you want to find your body we need extra help."
"Wow, adding a 'we' there. I thought it was all 'me'?" He asked, giving me a light smirk.
"Shut up...."
I headed over to the seat Liam was situated on and sat beside him though there was a considerable gap between us. He looked up from his phone; tired brown eyes looking to me then noticing the ghost.
"Oh, I see you brought the ghost," he said, smiling. "What's your name?"
"Risky .... I mean, Ricky! I c....can't remember my full name...."
Geez, he's so nervous he messed up his own name.
That sense must be really getting to him if he's stuttering.
Liam nodded, keeping a small smile on his face as he put his hand out to shake. "I'm Liam. It's nice to meet you, Risky Ricky." He let out a small laugh at his own joke which caused the ghost to hide his face in embarrassment.
"Sure...." he grabbed Liam's hand and the two pretended to shake.
Liam probably knows how to handle being around ghosts more than I do.
So, the pretend-handshake must be something ghosts like to experience.
As if feeling like they're still alive maybe....
"So, what was it you wanted to know by meeting him?" I asked, turning to face my research partner.
Liam lowered his hand from the ghosts' and turned to face me; a thoughtful look on his face. "I told you I needed to observe him a bit longer which is why I said the whole day...." I let out an annoyed grumble. "....but thank you for letting me meet him early. It might help me figure out if he's linked to the case."
"That Serial Murder you talked about?"
He nodded his head at my question. "In most media a lot of spirits stay behind due to unfinished business, but if they can't remember who they were then that's an entirely new problem in its own."
"But he just wants to find his body...."
"And why do you think that is?" He asked me, holding his index finger up.
I blinked. My gaze looked to the ghost; who seemed intrigued by these questions and Liam; who seemed interested in my answers.
I frowned, thinking about my answers carefully.
Why does he want his body found?
"Is it because it never was?" I said with a question of my own added in.
"Yes. It might have been an unintentional thought that went through his head as he died. If his body was never found then he'd want it to be to give his family closure; even if he no longer remembers them."
That made a bit more sense into why the ghost wanted to find his body.
Instead of it being to get to the afterlife because they're connected it would be to give his family closure.
The dummy got it wrong....
"However, it doesn't mean he's connected to the 'One-Hit Striker'. He could've been killed by someone else, but if they're both linked that would make finding his body and the culprit much easier," Liam explained to me.
Wait, what....
"What do you mean? I thought I was just helping you solve the case not catching the culprit....?" I asked him. I was slightly worried that I was right that he has ulterior motives.
"It's a slow-going process, so don't worry. If we find the culprit there's always the police," he told me and I saw that smile again.
The dark one.
The one that got me nervous and ready to run.
There was something definitely off about Liam.
He seemed nice and helpful, but underneath that smile I feel like there's something more to him.
Something sinister....
My gaze went over to the ghost; who looked just as ready to run as me or fly in his case. That was until the bell rang and Liam stood up, grabbing his bag and giving me a small smile.
"I'll see you later, Naomi." He turned to the ghost. "You too, Ricky."
With that he left us alone to head towards his form class and I sat there with a sick feeling in my stomach.
Did I make the right choice?
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